EUROPE IN THE LATER (HIGH) MIDDLE AGES (1000-1400)

History 111A and 111B

SPRING SEMESTER 2008/ Dr. George Dameron

                                                Office:  Library 306/Telephone x2318

Office Hours:  Mondays, 2-4, Wednesdays, 11-12, and by appointment.

Email:  gdameron@smcvt.edu

Website: http://academics.smcvt.edu/gdameron/

Provins (Photo:  George Dameron/copyright 2006)

PURPOSES OF COURSE

The primary goals of the course are the following:  1) to provide a broad, interdisciplinary overview of European history within a global context from the  eleventh century through fifteenth century; 2) to familiarize students with a variety of primary historical sources and documents for the study of European history during this period, 3) to introduce students to the principal issues and debates among historians associated with the Later Middle Ages (1000-1500), 4) to stimulate student interest in European medieval history, 5) to explore the role of the Middle Ages in the formation of the modern world as well as to recognize the distance of its culture from our own,  6) to encourage a global understanding of historical change by studying the complex relations between Western Europe, Islam, and Byzantium; 7) to enhance the ability of students to think, speak, and write critically about history; 8) to dispel the negative myths about the Middle Ages, 9) to learn to use library and information technology resources for historical research and study, 10) to fulfill a Liberal Studies Requirement in Historical Studies, 11) to orient students to the principal geographical features of Europe and their role in the development of medieval history, and 12) to require a research paper using primary sources on a topic associated with medieval history and culture. 

CLASS FORMAT

The class will consist of occasional lectures, debates, frequent class discussions on assigned readings, and occasional in-class small group work.  Questions are welcome at any time.  The course will primarily be driven by discussion of primary sources.  Every Friday there will be either a short quiz or a focus paper.  Quizzes are very brief (5-10 minutes, and usually consist of five questions).  Discussions and focus papers are usually based on a list of study questions posted at the eCollege site.

OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION

I encourage students to take advantage of my office hours, which is Mondays, 2-4, and Wednesdays, 11-12, and by appointment.  They can also contact me by phone (x2318) or email (gdameron). 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There are no prerequisites for the course.  The requirements are the following:  class participation (10% of final grade); seven (7) short quizzes every other Friday, the lowest score of which will be dropped (10%); seven (7) one-page, un-graded focus papers on assigned readings or questions (10%) every other Friday, one of which can be skipped without penalty; one midterm exam (20% of final grade) on February 15; one 7 (seven) to 9 (nine) page research paper (excluding bibliography and notes) on a topic associated with Yvain by Chrétien de Troyes (20% of final grade), due on  March 31; and a final examination (objective and essay, 30% of grade), on Monday, May 5 (History 111A), 9-11:30, and Monday, May 5 (History 111B), 1-3:30.

Attendance and Class Etiquette

As a courtesy, students should inform me in advance of any anticipated absence.   Students need to arrange all travel arrangements so that they do not conflict with any scheduled classes, quizzes, or exams.   There are no make-ups for the focus papers, quizzes, or exams, except in the case of a documented illness or for verifiable and compelling personal or family reasons.

To promote an environment conducive to learning during class, students will not leave the classroom except in the case of serious illness.  Students will also refrain from checking email, text messages, and cell phone calls during class.  All cell phones must be turned off during class.  

The Paper

The paper on Yvain is due on March 31 at my office or in class. There will be a half a letter grade penalty (5 points) for every day the paper is late.   The paper will follow the required methods of citing primary and secondary sources, and it must also include a formal bibliography.  Students will use at least three primary and three secondary sources for their papers.  History department policy requires students to use footnotes or endnotes in the proper format (no in-text citations).  A set of books and readings will be available on library reserve for students to use for their research.  After the midterm examination, I will distribute more specific instructions and guidelines for the paper as well as a bibliography.  For information on citing sources and creating bibliographies, see my Guide for Papers (posted at the eCollege site and at my web site).    See also the citation guides posted at the Durick Library web site under “Student Services” (Documenting and Citing). 

Focus Papers

The questions for the focus papers are either posted as study questions at my web site and accessible through eCollege or will be assigned in class.  The papers will not be graded.  Hard copy focus papers are to be handed in during class; they are not to be emailed unless the student is unable to attend the class.  Emailed focus papers by absent students must be received before class begins.   Students have the option of not submitting one focus paper without penalty.  Dates they are due are designated by “fp” next to the date on the syllabus.

eCollege

eCollege is web based course management system that we will use for this course.   Accessible through eCollege are the syllabus, study questions, announcements about upcoming events, documents or texts, links to maps and web sites, and any other communication that are deemed important to the management of the course.   The URL location for eCollege is www.smcvtonline.org, and students should place it in their Favorites folder.   Students can gain access to eCollege by using their Login ID (the mikenet name) and College ID#, which functions as the password.  Students should check the site regularly for any messages or announcements or new postings.

Web Sites for the Study of the Middle Ages

There are several web sites maintained by professional medievalists that are accessible through my web site.  They include the Internet Medieval Sourcebook, Orb, Labyrinth, Feminae (Medieval Women and Gender Index), and NetSerf.  I encourage students to explore these sites as we proceed through the syllabus. 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Any student wishing to use a computer during class must get permission from me in advance.  The student is responsible for familiarizing herself or himself with the Academic Integrity Policy of the College.   Violations of academic integrity (plagiarism, multiple submission, unauthorized assistance, interference, interference using information technology) can result in sanctions ranging from failure for the assignment, failure of the course, the obligation to repeat the assignment with a lower grade, or dismissal from the course.  The Judicial Review Board may impose other sanctions as well.  Plagiarism is a serious academic offense.   According to the Policy on Academic Integrity included in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct and posted online, plagiarism is the presentation  of “another person’s ideas as your own, by directly quoting or indirectly paraphrasing, without properly citing the original source. This includes inadvertent failure to properly acknowledge sources.”   

DOCUMENTED LEARNING DIFFERENCES

Students with learning differences (documented by the Office of the Coordinator of Academic Compliance, Ms. Antonia Messuri) should feel free to discuss with me any appropriate accommodations that they may require.   

REQUIRED READINGS:

Required Books for Purchase:

• C. Warren Hollister and Judith Bennett, Medieval Europe: A Short History (10^th edition, McGraw Hill, 2005).  ISBN 10: 0072955155

• Chretien de Troyes, Yvain:  the Knight of the Lion, trans. Burton Raffel (Yale 1987).  ISBN-10: 0300038380

• Richard Kieckhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages (Cambridge 2000).  ISBN-10: 0521785766

• Barbara Rosenwein, Reading the Middle Ages (Broadview Press 2006).   ISBN-10: 1551116936 ISBN-13: 978-1551116938 ($42.00 but try to get it cheaper) 

Required Reading On Reserve in Durick Library and online:

Caroline Walker Bynum, "Fast, Feast, and Flesh:  The Religious Significance of Food to Medieval Women," Representations 11 (1985):  1-16.

COURSE PLAN:

Introduction to Course:  the World in 1000                                      January 14

Economy and Society, 1000-1300

• Lecture:  “Economic Growth and Social Change”

Hollister and Bennett, chapter 7 (begin page 149)                 January 16

• Rosenwein, Maps 5.1-5.4, 5.1-5.3                                             January 18q
• Rosenwein, 6.8-6.11 (economic sources)                                    January 21
• Rosenwein, 7.6-7.9 (urban sources)                                            January 23

Religion and Diverse Pathways to God, 1000-1250

• Lecture:  “New Directions in Religion and the Church”

Hollister and Bennett, chapter 8                                             January 25fp

• Rosenwein, 5.4, 5.5 (Church Reform Movement)/debate            January 28
• Rosenwein, 5.18-5.19 (Cluniacs and Cistercians)                        January 30
• Rosenwein, 6.24 (Abbot Suger and Saint Denis)                         February 1q
• Rosenwein, 6.23 (4^th Lateran Council)                                       February 4
• Rosenwein, 6.25-6.26 (Poverty and Mysticism)                          February 6
• Bynum (on reserve and online)                                                 February 8fp
• Rosenwein, 6.27 (Mendicants; slides)                                         February 11
• Film:  “Art of the Western World” (Medieval Art)                       February 12* (6 pm)
• No class meeting (February 12 instead/see above)                      February 13

**Midterm (Hourly) Examination**                                           February 15

*February Break*                                                                           February 18, 19

Crusading, Territorial Conquest, and Persecutions, 1100-1300

• Lecture:  “Crusades, Conquest, and Persecutions”

Hollister and Bennett, chapter 9                                             February 20

• Rosenwein, 5.8, 5.10, 6.3, 6.4 (The Crusaders)                          February 22q
• Rosenwein, 5.6 (Jewish massacres);   and                             

Rosenwein, 5.7, 5.9, 6.1 (Greek, Muslim writers)                     February 25

• Rosenwein, 5.11-5.13 (Norman Conquest of England)/debate   February 27
• Rosenwein, 6.28, 6.29, 7.10-7.12 (Heretics and Jews)              February 29fp

The Making of Medieval National Monarchies and City-States, 1050-1300

• Lecture:  “Centralizing Monarchies, City-States, and Conflict”

Hollister and Bennett, chapters 10 and 11                             March 3

• Rosenwein, 6.12-6.14, 6.16 (Germany and papacy)                   March 5
• Rosenwein, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.15, 6.17, 7.14 (England, Spain)       March 7q
• Rosenwein, 7.13, 7.15-7.18 (France)                                         March 10

Literature, the Visual Arts, and Intellectual Life, 1000-1300

• Lecture:  “Literature, the Visual Arts, and Philosophy”

Hollister and Bennett, chapter 12                                           March 12

• Rosenwein, 5.14-5.17 (12^th Century Renaissance)                     March 14fp

*Spring Recess                                                                              March 15-24*

• Rosenwein, 6.18 (Literature:  epic poetry)                                  March 26
• Rosenwein, 6.19-6.22 (Literature)                                             March 28q
• Chrétien de Troyes, Yvain                                                         March 31, April 2

*Research Paper Due *                                                       March 31

• Kieckhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages, chapters 1-3                April 4fp
• Kieckhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages, chapters 4-6                April 7
• Kieckhefer, Magic in the Middle Ages, chapters 7-8                April 9
• Rosenwein, 7.19 (Aquinas)                                                       April 11q
• Rosenwein, 7.21 (Dante)                                                          April 14

Crisis and Renewal in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries

·         Lecture: “Crisis and Recovery in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries”

·         Hollister and Bennett, chapter 13                                           April 16

·         Rosenwein, 8.1-8.5 (the plague)                                               April 18fp

·         Rosenwein, 7.20, 7.22, 8.14-8.18 (church, literature, and religion)April 21                         

National Monarchies, War, and City-States, 1300-1500

Lecture:  “Politics, National Monarchies, and War, 1300-1500”

·         Hollister and Bennett, chapter 14                                           April 23

·         Rosenwein, 8.11-8.13 (war and rebellion)                                April 25q

Medieval Culture Transformed, 1300-1500

·         Lecture:  “A World Transformed, 1300-1500

·         Hollister and Bennett, chapter 15                                           April 28

·         Rosenwein, 8.19-8.24 (15^th century Renaissance)                    April 30

Summary and Conclusion to Course                                               May 2fp

**Final Examination** (A: 9-11:30; B: 1-3:30)                              May 5